


Nightmares

by Tarlan



Category: Aliens (1986)
Genre: Collection: Fandom Stocking 2015, Gen, Post-Movie(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-04
Updated: 2016-01-04
Packaged: 2018-05-11 17:56:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5636422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarlan/pseuds/Tarlan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some nightmares are worse than reality.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nightmares

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Merfilly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/gifts).



According to all the publicity, no one dreamed in hypersleep. Any dreams were a misfiring of the brain during the wake-up process and Ripley's was strangely more terrifying than the events in real life. She dreamed of waking up on a barely hospitable prison world, of battling more of the monsters, and she dreamed of dying. She'd awoken just before her swan-diving body hit the vat of molten metal far below, snapping awake and turning her head instantly to one side to check the cryotubes next to her.

The worst part of that nightmare had been waking to find Newt and Hicks were dead.

The canopy rose and she sat up groggily, turning to sit on the edge of her cryotube so she could sweep her eyes over the control panels above the other cryotubes. All the lights were green. Safe. Scrubbing both hands through her hair she sighed raggedly in relief before setting her feet down on the cool flooring. She padded across to look down at Newt, hand resting on the canopy above the little girl's angelic face for a moment before moving on.

Hicks... Dwayne was half hidden beneath the swathe of bandages covering the acid burns. What she could see of his face was just as angelic in sleep but she knew his beauty was more than skin deep so any scars didn't matter. She'd trusted him from the moment they met; trusted his judgment and his integrity. She knew the loss of his unit would hurt him deeply because he'd cared for every single man under his temporary command. If he could have saved them then he would have done so without any thought to his own safety. He was the complete opposite of Carter Burke, seeing people rather than profit and glory.

The soft beep of the communications panel caught her attention, explaining why she'd been brought out of hypersleep, and she pressed the connection button.

"U.S.S. Sulaco, this is the U.S.S. Costaguana."

"U.S.S. Costaguana, this is the Sulaco," Ripley responded.

"Identify yourself."

"Ellen Ripley."

A brief silence followed her announcement.

"Status report."

Ripley smiled sardonically as she looked across the cryotubes, empty except for a child, half a Synthetic, and an injured marine. At least this time she'd managed to save more than just the ship's cat, and for now the nightmare was over.

END  
 


End file.
